Douglas, Georgia Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Douglas, Georgia

City

Douglas City Hall in 2022

Flag

Logo

Motto(s):

Working Together to Serve You Better

Location of Douglas in Coffee County, Georgia (left) and of Coffee County in Georgia (right)

Country

United States

State

Georgia

County

Coffee

Area

• Total

14.67 sq mi (38.01 km²)

• Land

14.44 sq mi (37.39 km²)

• Water

0.24 sq mi (0.61 km²)

Elevation

253 ft (77 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

11,722

• Density

811.94/sq mi (313.50/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP Codes

31533-31535

Area code(s)

912

FIPS code

13-23872

GNIS feature ID

0313591

Douglas is a city in Coffee County, Georgia, USA. In 2020, about 11,722 people lived there. Douglas is the main city of Coffee County. It is also the center of the Douglas micropolitan area. This area had about 50,731 people in 2010.

Douglas City History

Douglas was started in 1855. It became the main town for the new Coffee County. The city was named after Senator Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois. He was a famous speaker. He ran against Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election.

Douglas became a town in 1895 and a city in 1897. The railroad came to Douglas in 1895. This helped the community grow quickly. In 1909, the Georgia and Florida Railway set up its offices here.

A school called the Eleventh District Agricultural & Mechanical School opened in Douglas in 1906. Later, in 1927, South Georgia College was founded. It was Georgia's first state-supported junior college.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Douglas was a big center for selling tobacco. You can learn more about this history at the Heritage Station Museum. It is in the old train station downtown.

Douglas has two areas listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the downtown and Gaskin Avenue historic districts. They were added to the list in 1989.

Geography of Douglas

Douglas is located in the middle of Coffee County. It is about 59 miles northeast of Valdosta, Georgia. It is also 115 miles northwest of Jacksonville, Florida. Atlanta is about 201 miles to the southeast.

The city covers about 14.67 square miles (38.01 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. About 0.24 square miles (0.61 square kilometers) is water. Important water areas include Twenty Mile Creek and the Seventeen Mile River. Hilliard's Pond is also here. It used to be a ski show park called "Holiday Beach".

Douglas Climate

Douglas has a warm climate. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are mild. The city gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. Snowfall is very rare.

People of Douglas

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	617	—
1910	3,550	475.4%
1920	3,401	−4.2%
1930	4,206	23.7%
1940	5,175	23.0%
1950	7,428	43.5%
1960	8,736	17.6%
1970	10,195	16.7%
1980	10,980	7.7%
1990	10,464	−4.7%
2000	10,639	1.7%
2010	11,589	8.9%
2020	11,722	1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, there were 11,722 people living in Douglas. There were 4,339 households. About 2,610 families lived in the city.

Douglas racial composition as of 2020
Race	Num.	Perc.
White	3,939	33.6%
Black or African American	6,113	52.15%
Native American	22	0.19%
Asian	110	0.94%
Pacific Islander	7	0.06%
Other/Mixed	357	3.05%
Hispanic or Latino	1,174	10.02%

Douglas Micropolitan Area

Location of the Douglas Micropolitan Statistical Area in Georgia

Douglas is the main city of the Douglas micropolitan statistical area. This area includes Atkinson and Coffee counties. In 2010, about 50,731 people lived in this area.

City Infrastructure

Highways

Douglas is connected by several important roads:

U.S. Route 221
U.S. Route 441
Georgia State Route 31
Georgia State Route 32
Georgia State Route 135
Georgia State Route 158
Georgia State Route 206

Airport

The city has its own airport, the Douglas Municipal Airport.

Utilities

Douglas has its own departments for important services. The Electric Department provides power. The Natural Gas Department supplies gas. The Water Department handles water and sewer services. The Public Works Department takes care of yard waste and animal control.

Douglas Economy

Confederate soldier memorial

Major Employers

Many people in Douglas work for these companies:

Wal-Mart
Premium Peanut
Premium Waters
American Insulated Wire
Fleetwood Mobile Homes Corporation
PCC Airfoils
Pilgrim's

Agriculture

Farming is a big part of the local economy. Farmers in Douglas and Coffee County grow peanuts, corn, tobacco, and cotton. Raising chickens is also a major business.

Tourism

Douglas has several interesting places to visit. The Heritage Station Museum shows the city's history. The World War II Flight Training Museum is also popular. The Ashley-Slater House is another attraction. These places have been called "Georgia's Hidden Treasures."

Douglas has ten public parks. There are also four golf courses in and around the city. General Coffee State Park is nearby. It is a large park with 1,490 acres. Over 100,000 people visit it each year. It is the most popular tourist spot in the area.

Healthcare in Douglas

Coffee Regional Medical Center
Coffee Regional Walk-In Clinic

Media Outlets

Douglas has several radio stations and newspapers:

WOKA Dixie Country 106.7 FM
WOKA Radio 1310 AM
WOUG Radio Cielo 107.3 FM
WULS Radio 103.7 FM
WDMG Radio 97.9 FM, 860 AM
WPNG Radio Shine 101.9 FM
WSIZ Radio MyFM 102.3 @ 99.9 FM
The Douglas News
The Douglas Enterprise
WSWG, CBS TV

Education in Douglas

Coffee County Schools

The Coffee County School District serves the Douglas-Coffee County area. It has schools from pre-school to twelfth grade. There are eight elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools. The district has over 8,000 students.

Ambrose Elementary School
Broxton Mary-Hayes Elementary School
Eastside Elementary School
Indian Creek Elementary School
Nicholls Elementary School
Satilla Elementary School
West Green Elementary School
Westside Elementary School
Coffee Middle School
George Washington Carver Freshman Campus
Coffee County Career Academy
Coffee High School
Coffee Alternative Education Center

Private Schools

First Academy at First Baptist Church offers preschool and K-12 education.
Citizens Christian Academy teaches students from K-12.
Douglas First Methodist Church has a pre-kindergarten program.

Higher Education

South Georgia State College is a public four-year college. It is part of the University System of Georgia.
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College offers technical training.

Famous People from Douglas

Many notable people have connections to Douglas:

James Brown, a famous singer
Tyreek Hill, a football player for the Miami Dolphins
Jason Childers, a former Major League Baseball player
G. Wayne Clough, former president of Georgia Tech
Greg Holland, a country singer
Jennifer Nettles, half of the country music duo Sugarland
Joel Parrish, a football player
Willie Spence, a singer and runner-up on American Idol
Maureen Tucker, drummer for the rock group The Velvet Underground, lives in Douglas.
Greg Walker, a former baseball player and coach